Funeral Director Code

IFSO sets high standards for its members, and member firms must abide by the Funeral Director Code.

The Funeral Director Code guides the actions, behaviour and standards of IFSO funeral home and supplier members. It is designed to help those in funeral service to act in the public interest and aspire to the highest professional standards.

The Funeral Director Code was developed in consultation with the wider funeral sector and consumer organisations. NAFD funeral home members are inspected against it by IFSO Quality, Risk and Compliance Managers and offered guidance and support in reaching the high standards it demands.

In Scotland, the Scottish Government’s Funeral Director Code of Practice comes into operation in March 2025, and, being legally binding, compliance with that Code takes precedence over any other Code. We are working hard to ensure the IFSO Code dovetails with the Scottish Code and that there are no conflicts and will amend our Code for Scottish members only where necessary.

The Code Principles

The Code Principles define the fundamental ethical and professional standards expected of IFSO members when providing funeral services. IFSO members and staff should always have regard to the Principles and use them as the starting point when faced with an ethical dilemma.

Where two or more Principles come into conflict the one which takes precedence is the one which best serves the public interest in the particular circumstances.

The Outcomes (O)

The outcomes describe what IFSO members are expected to achieve in order to comply with the relevant Code Principles in the context of the relevant part of the Code.

Any failure by a funeral director to operate in accordance with these mandatory provisions will constitute a breach of this Code. However, not every breach of the Code will result in disciplinary action.

There may be multiple ways of achieving the Outcomes. If you choose a different method from those set out in the IFSO Funeral Director Code Guidance (this can be accessed via the IFSO website), you should be prepared to demonstrate how you have nevertheless achieved the Outcome. It is advisable to carefully consider how you can best achieve the Outcomes, taking into account the size of your business, the particular circumstances of the matter and, crucially, the needs of your clients.

Indicative Behaviours (IB)

The outcomes are supplemented by non-mandatory indicative behaviours.

The indicative behaviours specify, but do not constitute an exhaustive list of, the kind of behaviour which may establish compliance with, or contravention of the Code Principles. These are not mandatory but they may help your regulators to decide whether an outcome has been achieved in compliance with the Code Principles.

Read the Code